New York Giants 2012 NFL Draft Profile: Rutgers WR Mohamed Sanu

By Christopher Gamble

The look at potential draft picks for the New York Giants in the 2012 NFL Draft continues with Rutgers wide receiver Mohamed Sanu. The Giants currently boast one of the best receiving corps in the NFL led by Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. However, after losing Mario Manningham to the San Francisco 49ers to free agency the position is a little thin. The Giants re-signed Dominik Hixon but he is coming off of his second ACL injury in as many years. Also on the roster is 2011 draft pick Jerrel Jernigan, 2009 draft pick Ramses Barden, and two guys, Dan DePalma and Isaiah Stanback who are most likely Practice Squad filler. At some point, the Giants will use a draft pick on a wide receiver to push Barden, who has been a disappointment so far, and Jernigan who didn’t see much action on offense and did not have a single catch last season.

Yesterday, the Giants hosted Mohamed Sanu for a workout so he could be on their radar. Last season, Sanu compiled 1,206 yards on 115 catches and 7 touchdowns. He is a big (6-2, 215 pounds), strong receiver with big hands and long arms. He is relatively new to the receiver position, having moved there during the spring practices at Rutgers in 2009. He ran a very mediocre 4.67 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine but is fairly agile.

Sanu will not be a burner by any means in the NFL. He had trouble getting separation from defensive backs in college but always seemed to make the catch. He is not afraid to go over the middle of the field and sometimes enjoyed putting a hard shoulder into an unsuspecting corner on a running play. For such an inexperienced receiver in terms of years at the position, he is a vacuum cleaner. He uses superb coordination to look the ball into his hands and he rarely ever tried to turn up field before securing the football. Once the football is in his hands it will stay there. Sanu is not afraid of contact and will take and give punishing hits.

Sanu is a possession receiver in the NFL. He can’t stretch the field at all but will make the tough catch whenever, and wherever he is asked to. He is still raw in his route running and has trouble tracking the deep ball. Even on his highlight videos you can see a hesitation in his footwork as he tries to adjust to deep balls.

In my opinion, Sanu would be a very nice fit for the Giants in the slot. He will be a threat in the red zone due to his size, long arms, and sure hands. Although he doesn’t stand out among the prototypical wide receivers I love what this kid brings to the table. He is the perfect security blanket for quarterback Eli Manning and would be like an extra tight end on the goal line. He could be available in the third or fourth round.